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Aug 11, 2024 — Deadwood Peak is a large lump in the Mokelumne Wilderness, positioned at a bend in Summit City Creek. It offers a really nice perspective of the surrounding summits, including Round Top to the north. The summit is most easily approached via the Grouse Lake Trail. We parked at the trailhead on the east side of Upper Blue Lake, where we could see Deadwood Peak rising to the west. This is a popular recreation area with multiple campgrounds, and is accessible by any vehicle.
We started by crossing the dam and locating the start of the Grouse Lake Trail. The trail begins in a forested area, with large boulders sporadically jutting out of the sandy ground, passes a charming little pond, and then gradually ascends through small meadows to Granite Lake. Quite blue and positioned at the base of a granitic slope, it's a scenic spot. After passing Granite Lake, the Grouse Lake Trail ascends a gentle ridge before dipping in and out of small, meadowy valleys with sparse trees. The trail meanders a bit, barely gaining elevation, until it changes character drastically, ascending a couple of steep slopes. We found these sections odd since the trail had otherwise taken its sweet time.
Deadwood Peak was clearly in view ahead, but the Grouse Lake Trail wraps beneath the south side of the summit. When we reached the high point of the trail, where it leveled off at around 9,200 feet, we headed off-trail north up a grassy slope and into a wide gully that led to Deadwood Peak's east ridge. A social trail became visible along the crest and led us to the summit. There is a short rocky section along the crest, but it’s otherwise just a tundra stroll. The views were fantastic, especially of the granite formation just north of the summit with its sheer drop into the valley below.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
